This invention relates generally to the field of component furniture and, more particularly, to a clip for mounting a shelf on a support pole.
Heretofore, various devices have been known for mounting shelves on walls or other supporting structures, such as poles, rods or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 4,037,813 to Loui et al discloses a one-piece plastic shelf support member comprised of an upper shoulder portion, a central portion having a gripping rib 26 and a lower flange portion for supporting a shelf. A shaft 16 which extends from the lower portion into a bore in a support board provides the only attachment, i.e., by friction, of the support device to the upright support member. The construction of the Loui et al shelf support imposes the restriction that the clip or support can only be used in one vertical direction, that is, it cannot be inverted or turned upside down and used equally as well, as is the case with the present shelf support clip. Furthermore, the Loui et al shelf support requires gussets 28 to withstand an increased shelf load; such is not the case with the new shelf support clip which independently provides sufficient support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,541,600 to Vieglins teaches a shelf bracket made of a solid, yet elastically deformable material and having a through-hole for a screw and a transverse channel for holding the end edge of a shelf. Full insertion of the screw permits a clamping action to occur between the channel, or groove, and the shelf. Engagement of the Vieglins bracket with the upright support thereof is limited to the marginal portions 9 of the bracket. By contrast, the new die-cut shelf support clip permits full contact of the base portion as well as the end portions, with the support pole when properly attached thereto.
Conventional forms of attachment, such as simply screwing or nailing a shelf directly to a support pole suffer from the disadvantage that the shelf may tilt and cause the wood or other material thereof to split under the resultant force. Other known methods, such as supporting the shelf from beneath by slats which connect side poles, suffer from the disadvantage that they require more materials and thus are heavier, awkward to handle and more expensive. Furthermore, problems may be created in moving known shelving units because the shelves may be permanently attached to the support structures or at least be very difficult to disassemble. The inability to easily take apart a shelving unit also yields the disadvantage that the shelves cannot be selectably adjusted to other than the predetermined height.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a clip for supporting a shelf on a support pole in such manner that the shelf is securely and stably maintained thereon by attaching with a single screw which penetrates both the pole and the shelf.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a shelf support clip having the features stated that permits the shelving unit to have shelves of a variable height, which height may be easily, selectably altered.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a clip having the features stated which permits a shelving unit constructed therewith to be easily dissembled for shipping and/or storage.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a clip having the features stated which is inexpensive and relatively lightweight, such a clip being capable of use for assembling, for example, free-standing bookshelves, a movable cart or other component furniture.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a clip having the features stated which simultaneously supports and grips a shelf positioned therein.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a clip having the features stated which is constructed in one piece, which may be manufactured in various sizes and which comprises clip ends adapted to fit snugly against a corresponding shelf support pole.
Briefly, in furtherance of the above objects, the present invention comprises a one-piece shelf support clip having a flat base portion centrally penetrated by an aperture and having first and second opposing ends. The aperture and the first and second opposing base ends create a plane. First and second opposing, parallel walls extend respectively from the first and second base ends and have outer ends. First and second elbow portions extend outwardly relative to the base portion and respectively from the outer ends of the first and second opposing parallel walls at substantially right angles thereto. First and second outwardly angled arms project respectively from the first and second elbow portions, away from the first and second opposing parallel walls, toward the plane created by the base portion and have detached ends. First and second parallel clip ends project respectively from the detached ends of the first and second angled arms and through the plane created by the base portion.
Other objects and features will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinbelow.